The popular food and drink festival in Bury St Edmunds over the bank holiday weekend has proved a major boost for footfall.

The event, which is organised by Ourburystedmunds, included demonstrations by celebrity chefs Lesley Waters and Brian Turner, known for their many television appearances in shows such as Ready Steady Cook, a huge variety of food and drink stalls and the seaside activities at the Arc shopping centre.

Mark Cordell, chief executive of Ourburystedmunds, the town’s Business Improvement District (BID) group, said: “The food and drink festival brought in more than double the number of people than the previous Sunday and Monday which demonstrates what a great attraction it is for the town.

“Obviously the bad weather affected numbers on Monday but I am delighted that so many people were in town on the Sunday.”

Footfall was also up at the Arc shopping centre compared to the previous Sunday and the same Sunday the previous year.